Good? Bad? I Did What?!?

So, late last week, D'Ann had the fantabulous idea that we should look back at 2011 as a group. The good, the bad...the questionable. Since most of us don't (technically) do the New Year's Resolution thing, we all jumped on the topic.

And now I realize I'm not so good at looking back, either.

Yes, I remember 2011 - I'm not that old, it was only over four days ago!! - but with just a little, teensy bit of space from it, it's harder to think about what I actually did or didn't do. As a whole, the year was good; I definitely moved forward, although I'm still waiting on that publishing contract. I think I a whole lot closer now than I was in 2010, though. I suppose, looking back, two big things happened for the year.

First, I fell in love with writing again - that's a good thing. I've always loved writing, but it got hard late in 2009 and into 2010. Not I have so much to do I can't find time to write hard..no, hard like I had to use an ice-pick to draw each word from a vein hard. But in 2011 I started a new story (one of many starts, lemme tell you!) and fell in love. It wasn't an easy story to write, but from the beginning I connected with the characters, the story...and it helped me find my voice again.

Second, I got my first R&R (revise and resubmit) request from an editor. She liked my story, even better she loved my voice, but she saw some flaws I should have seen in the telling of the store - and in the characters themselves. Those revisions were some of the hardest I've ever done, not just because they came from An Actual Editor Who Liked Me...but because they made me dig deeper into my characters and, subsequently, into my own likes, dislikes and feelings. But those revisions helped to cement my voice, I think. They definitely helped me identify and embrace my core story...and that, I think, will do me a lot of good heading in to 2012!!

What was your favorite moment/happening from 2011? And do you think 2012 will be a bright, shiney new year?